Air-valve for radiators.



K} No. 759,052. PATENTED MAY 3, 1904. If T. WHEATLEY. 5 AIR VALVE FORRADIATORS. i APPLICATION FILED APR. 16, 1903- :10 MODEL.

. /;I// B7 ar irEn STATES Patented May 3, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

AIR-VALVE FOR RADIATORSQ.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,052, dated. May 3,1904.

Application filed April 16, 1903. Serial No. 152,888. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, TuoMAs \VPIEA'ILIGY, of Syracuse, in the county ofOnondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Air-Valves for Radiators, of which the folowing, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, andexact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in radiator-valves forpermitting the escape of air and preventing the exit of the heatingfluid, and refers more particularly to that class in which the water ofcondensation or other liquid heating agent is partly collected in asuitable well and a float partially immersed in the liquor in the welland operates a suitable valve to close the air-vent.

This device is similar in some respects to that set forth in myapplication of even date herewith, Serial No. 152,889, liled April 16,1903, but differs therefrom by having a doulfle-walled well in which thefloat is movable, the double wall forming an air-chamber which surroundsthe well proper and communicates therewith.

The primary object of this construction is to trap the air in a chamberby the same liq uid in which the float is immersed, so that the heatingagent impinges against the inner and outer walls of said chamber, andthereby permits the use of an open or a closed float, and also operatesexpansively to close the float through the medium of the liquid intowhich the float is immersed.

Further objects will be brought out in the description which follows.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a radiator-valve embodyingthe features of my invention. Figs. 2, 3, and 4; are sectional viewstaken, respectively, on lines 2 2, Fig. 1, and 3 3 and 4 at, Fig. 2.Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of the detached well and float seenin Fig. 2, and Fig. 7 is aperspective view of a slightly-modified formof float having an open end.

This device consists, essentially, of an outer shell 1, an innerreceptacle or well 2,and a float 3,the shell 1 being provided with aninlet-opening at in its base and with'an outlet or vent opening 5 in itsopposite upper end. The well 2 is suspended within the shell 1 betweenthe inlet 4 and outlet 5 and preferably consists o'l two cup-shapedparts 6 and 7, arranged one within the other, the outer cups being ofless diameter than the inner diameter of the shell 1 and is providedwithan imperforate bottom 8, while the inner cup is of less diameter thanthe inner diameter of the outer cup, and its upper end open and unitedto the upper end of the outer cup for permanently closing the latter andforming an air-chamber 9. The bottom of the outer cup terminates in aplane above the inlet 2 to "form a subcharnber 9 in the base or theshell 1, whereby the inflowing heating agent impinges directly againstthe full area of said bottom, and the upper end of the well is formedwith laterally-projecting sl'ioulders 10, which are separated from eachother to form passages 1.1. The bottom wall of the inner cup 7 isdisposed above the bottom wall oi the outer cup and separated therefromand is provided with a substantially central o )ening 12, whereby thewater flowing into the open upper end of the inner cup is conducted intothe base of the outer cup, and thus compresses or traps the air in thechamber 9.

The float 3 is arranged centrally in the inner cup 7 and is preferablyof less diameter than the inner diameter of said cup, so as to be freefrom contact therewith, both ends being closed and are provided withoutwardly-projecting stems 13 and, 14, the former serving as a valve toclose the air-vent 5, and the latter is movable in the opening 12 andprevents undue lateral movement oi. the lower end oi the float. it isevident, however, that the lower end of this float may be open, as seenin Fig. 7, in which instance it is provided with a transverse bar 16,having a projecting stem 17, the latter being adapted to move in theopening 12 to guide the lower end of the float.

It will now be seen that the heating agent passing through the inlet 2first impinges against the bottom wall of the outer cup or well and thenpasses upwardly between the outer shell and well and through thepassages 11, so as to entirely envelop the well and float,

the water being precipitated into the inner cup and is dischargedtherefrom into the base of the outer cup. This seals the air in theupper'portion of the outer cup, so that when said air is heated it actsexpansively on the liquid in the well and causes the liquid to rise inthe inner cup, thereby causing the float to rise and close the air-vent5. The passage for the heating fluid being subdivided by the shoulders10, it is apparent that the volume of water is broken up, whereby aninstantaneous circulation is induced the instant the valve closes, andthe water will therefore flow unimpeded back into the radiator. Thissegregation of the body of water which may accumulate in the outer shellis further augmented by an additional deflector-plate 15, which isprovided with suitable projections 18 and passages 19, the projections18serving to engage the lower end of the well and prevent its lateraldisplacement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is I 1. In an air-valve for radiators, an outer shellhaving an inlet and a valved outlet, a well in the outer shell havingtwo concentric walls connected to form an air-trap, a float in the welland operatively connected to actuate the valve. I,

2. In an air-valve for radiators, an outer shell having an inlet and avalved outlet, a well comprising two cups in the shell one within theother, the inner cup being united to the outer cup to form anair-chamber and communicating at or near the bottom whereby the waterfirst enters the inner cup and then enters the outer cup to compress theair in said chamber, and a float in the inner cup operated by theexpansion of the air in said chamber to close the valve through themedium of the water.

3. In an air-valve for radiators, an outer shell having an inlet and avalved outlet, a well suspended in the outer sh ell free from its baseand having an inner-water-receiving chamber, and an air and waterchamber communicating with the lower end of the water-chamber, andprovided with an imperforated top to trap the air and a float in thewell for operating the valve.

4. In an air-valve for radiators, an outer shell having an inlet and avalved outlet, a double-walled well in the outer shell forming anair-chamber between the walls, the inner wall having an opening at ornear its bottom, and a float in the well to operate the valve.

5. In a radiator air-valve, an outer case or shell having an inlet andan outlet, a well comprising two cups, one within the other, and unitedat the top to form a chamber closed at its upper end, and the inner cuphaving openings in both ends, a valve for the outlet, and a float in theinner cup operatively connected to close the valve.

6. In a radiator air-valve, an outer shell having an inlet and a valvedoutlet, a well comprising two cups of unequal diameter in the shell onewithin the other, the outer cup having an imperforate bottom and unitedto the inner cup to form an air-trap, and the in ner cup communicatingwith the interior of the outer cup, and a float in the inner cupconnected to actuatethe valve.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of April,1903.

. THOMAS WVHEATLEY.

Witnesses:

H. E. CHASE, J. M. HAMMEKEN.

